As we watch our young female athletes compete in the Olympics, we hope that their legacy will be increasing participation in sports and exercise by all women. The positive effects of exercise are well known, and a sedentary lifestyle can reduce bone mineral density and increase the risk of postmenopausal osteoporosis. But for the young female performer, high volumes of exercise may paradoxically be linked to the loss of oestrogen and higher risk of stress fracture and osteoporosis associated with the female athlete triad.
